Varian Semiconductor Ships VIISta 80HP High Current Ion Implanter to M

    Business Editors

    GLOUCESTER, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 3, 2005--Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc. (NASDAQ: VSEA) announced today that it has shipped a single wafer VIISta(TM) 80HP high current ion implanter to a major 300mm North American semiconductor manufacturer. This shipment is the third VIISta 80HP tool order in the last six months from this customer.
    The customer will use the VIISta 80HP high current ion implanter at a 300mm production facility. "Leading device manufacturers around the world are experiencing higher yields on the VIISta 80HP due to better process performance and true zero angle control," said John Aldeborgh, Varian Semiconductor's vice president of marketing. "By ordering a third VIISta 80HP, this customer placed another vote of confidence in Varian Semiconductor's single wafer high current ion implanter to meet its future process development needs for the migration to 90nm technology."
    "Varian Semiconductor works closely with its customers in development of new device technologies," said Tony Renau, Ph.D., Varian Semiconductor's chief technology officer. "These close working relationships help to drive increased penetration of Varian Semiconductor high current tools in 65nm R&D. Built to extend beyond 65nm technology, the VIISta 80HP can handle more advanced processes, provide repeatable beam steering and deliver the high productivity required by our customers to bring their products to market quickly."
    With over 100 VIISta high current ion implanters in production, Varian Semiconductor is the market leader in single wafer high current systems. The VIISta 80HP high current ion implanter delivers the highest sub-65nm technology productivity and yields due to its unique beam steering capability and damage-free low density ribbon beam. The VIISta 80HP is a member of the VIISta suite of ion implanters - the only single wafer platform solution for all production applications.

    About Varian Semiconductor

    Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc. is a leading producer of ion implantation equipment used in the manufacture of semiconductors. The company is headquartered in Gloucester, Massachusetts, and operates worldwide. Varian Semiconductor maintains a web site at www.vsea.com. The information contained in the company's web site is not incorporated by reference into this release, and the web site address is included in this release as an inactive textual reference only.
    Note: This release contains forward-looking statements for purposes of the safe harbor provisions under The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. For this purpose, the statements concerning the company's performance, market share and technology leadership, technological capabilities and benefits are forward-looking statements and any statements using the terms "believes," "anticipates," "expects," "plans," or similar expressions are forward-looking statements. There are a number of important risks and factors that could cause actual events to differ materially from those suggested or indicated by such forward-looking statements. These include, among others, volatility in the semiconductor equipment industry; economic conditions in general and as they affect the company's customers; significant fluctuations in the company's quarterly operating results; the impact of rapid technological change; the company's dependence on the development and introduction of new products; the company's concentration on ion implantation systems and related products; concentration in the company's customer base and lengthy sales cycles; the highly competitive market in which the company competes; risks of international sales; foreign currency risks; and general economic conditions; and other factors identified in the company's Annual Report on Form 10-K, and the most recent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The company cannot guarantee any future results, levels of activity, performance or achievement. The company undertakes no obligation to update any of the forward-looking statements after the date of this press release.

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CONTACT: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc. Susan Torbitt, 978-282-2410 Public Relations and Communications susan.torbitt@vsea.com or Mary Wright, 978-282-5859 Director, Investor Relations mary.wright@vsea.com

KEYWORD: MASSACHUSETTS INDUSTRY KEYWORD: HARDWARE PRODUCT SOURCE: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.

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